Tag Archives: Universal Studios

Epic Universe Portal Tour Making Stops Across The US This Spring

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Coming to a city near you is the National Epic Universe Portal Tour. The tour, which will visit 4 cities is a chance to bring a bit of the upcoming Epic Universe theme park to you! Epic Universe features 5 immersive worlds and opens May 22nd at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida!

Ahead of the highly anticipated opening of its fourth theme park – Universal Epic Universe – Universal Orlando Resort will launch the National Epic Universe Portal Tour across select cities this spring to give fans an exciting glimpse of the adventures that await in the immersive new theme park. The tour will include stops in Atlanta, New York City, Philadelphia and Chicago and will bring a one-of-a-kind “epic” experience directly to fans.

The centerpiece of the tour will be a gigantic, 30-foot-tall Chronos – a replica of the icon of Universal Epic Universe and the gateway that guests will enter to experience the theme park’s five incredibly immersive worlds: Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk and Dark Universe. As the tour makes its way through iconic locations in each city, guests will be invited to approach the mesmerizing portal structure to witness action-packed sequences that celebrate the incredible adventures of the new theme park.

Attendees will get the chance to take a photo beside the portal and can visit the structure at night for an awe-inspiring, spectacular night show with dynamic lighting and all-encompassing music. Theme park enthusiasts visiting the portal will also have the chance to enter a sweepstakes to win a trip to Universal Orlando Resort and experience Universal Epic Universe for themselves.

The National Epic Universe Portal Tour will be open to guests on the below dates from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (subject to change).

Universal National Epic Universe Portal Tour Schedule

  • April 11-13: Atlanta, Georgia (Pemberton Place, adjacent to World of Coca-Cola)
  • April 23-26: New York, New York (Rockefeller Center)
  • May 16-18: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (The Rocky Steps)
  • June 13-18: Chicago, Illinois (Pioneer Court)

New Interactive Wands and Enhanced Magical Experiences At The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

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Starting March 1st at Universal Studios Orlando, you will be able to get your hands on the new second generation interactive wands that for the first time feature light and haptic effects, and a more personalized experience when combined with the Universal Studios App! In addition to the current interactive stations throughout the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, new locations have been added throughout, as well as the experiences that will be featured at the upcoming Epic Universe!

From the press release:

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This March, Universal Orlando Resort is bringing even more magic to its popular interactive wand experiences in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Guests can enjoy an all-new collection of Second Generation Interactive Wands that feature light and haptic effects for the first time ever, a personalized experience available within the Universal Orlando Resort App that allows them to take their spellcasting to the next level, and brand-new locations to cast spells within Hogsmeade at Universal Islands of Adventure, Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida and Place Cachée in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic at Universal Epic Universe when the groundbreaking new theme park opens this year. The all-new interactive wands will be on sale starting March 1.Here are more details about the exciting new enhancements coming to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter:
ALL-NEW SECOND GENERATION INTERACTIVE WANDS

Available in four designs, the all-new collection of Second Generation Interactive Wands will give guests an enhanced and exhilarating wand magic experience that includes several new features such as illumination effects and haptic vibrations custom to each spell so they can see and feel the results of their spellcasting like never before. Housed in an exclusive, unique package marked with a wand burst icon, each wand will include a spell map that outlines locations they can practice magic, as well as information on how to take their wizarding legacy to a new level with Universal Play, available within the Universal Orlando Resort App.

UNIVERSAL PLAY IN THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER
With the new assortment of interactive wands, guests will have the capability to experience wand magic across The Wizarding World of Harry Potter like never before. By connecting the wand to Universal Play within the Universal Orlando Resort App, they also have the opportunity for a more tailored engagement, including:Personalization – Guests can personalize their wizarding story by customizing their very own Wizard Profile where they can select their Wizard Name, Hogwarts House, Avatar and Patronus. While casting spells throughout The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, their select attributes will be integrated into the effects of their spellcasting – creating a personalized experience for each guest.Exclusive Adventures – Guestscan explore exclusive adventures varying in level of expertise and completion time that will enhance their Wizarding Level and mastery of magic within The Wizarding World.House Points – Guests can earn points for their Hogwarts House with every spell and follow other witches and wizards to see where they square up on the Leaderboard. With each visit, guests will be able to keep track of their House Points and Wizarding Level progress, as well as Achievements and Spellwork through Universal Play. The higher the Wizarding Level, the more spells and adventures will be unlocked. Each day, a House Cup will be rewarded to the house that acquires the most House Points.
 NEW AND ENHANCED WAND MAGIC LOCATIONS IN HOGSMEADE AND DIAGON ALLEY
Guests will encounter even more magic in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter with the addition of five new interactive wand locations throughout Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley – bringing the total number of wand magic locations to 30. New experiences include:The Duelling Club Tent – In Hogsmeade, guests can cast a spell to bring an abandoned dueling dummy to life and test their dueling spells ability;The Owl Post – In Hogsmeade, mischievous pixies dart across the window and hide behind packages as guests cast a spell to try and freeze them;Knockturn Alley Staircase – In Diagon Alley, guests must defend themselves by conjuring their patronus after a dementor emerges within the dimly lit staircase;Ariadne’s Spinners – In Diagon Alley, guests will need to cast a spell to repel spiders of all sizes before they take over the newspaper-covered glass windows;Knockturn Alley Sky – In Diagon Alley, guests can cast a spell into the nighttime sky to control a storm or counter-spell to calm the sky.In addition, guests can enjoy several enhancements to all existing wand magic locations in both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley with new visceral casting special effects, magical spellbooks that provide guidance at select locations, and more.In The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic at Epic Universe, guests will experience fourteen wand magic locations that will give them the opportunity to go on an adventure to discover the Philosopher’s Stone, interact with magical creatures such as a Niffler or Demiguise, and so much more.Guests will be able to purchase the all-new collection of Second Generation Interactive Wands at Ollivanders Wand Shop in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique in Place Cachée and various locations throughout Universal Orlando Resort.

If you get your hands on one of the new wands, let us know what you think!

Universal Orlando Officially Announces The Ministry of Magic at Epic Universe!

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Earlier today, Universal Orlando Resort announced that the Ministry of Magic will be the latest addition to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! It will be included as part of their upcoming park Epic Universe! The park, joining Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay opens in 2025!

Check out the press release included below!

THE JOURNEY TO EPIC BEGINS NOW…UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT SHARES FIRST OFFICIAL LOOK AND DETAILS ABOUT ITS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEW THEME PARK, UNIVERSAL EPIC UNIVERSE Opening in 2025, the Innovative New Theme Park Invites Guests to Explore Vibrant Worlds Filled with Extraordinary Adventures that Go Beyond their Wildest Imaginations Today, Universal Shares Details about Celestial Park, One of the Park’s Five Immersive Worlds featuring Exciting Attractions, Dining, Shopping and More – All Set within Breathtaking Gardens in the Heart of Epic Universe Click Here to Learn More about Universal Epic Universe from Some of the Park’s Creators,
Here for a First Look at Celestial Park and Here to Download Images Orlando, Fla. (January 30, 2024) – In 2025, Universal Orlando Resort will unveil its next gamechanger for theme park entertainment with the debut of its most ambitious theme park yet: Universal Epic Universe. Epic Universe will present a level of theme park immersion and innovation that is unmatched – transporting guests to expansive worlds featuring more than 50 awe-inspiring attraction, entertainment, dining and shopping experiences that come together to create an unforgettable adventure that is nothing short of epic. The addition of Universal Orlando’s fourth theme park will also transform the award-winning resort into a weeklong vacation destination filled with the most compelling experiences imaginable. Today, Universal Orlando reveals more details about Celestial Park – the heart of Universal Epic Universe and the first world guests will encounter at the new theme park. 
 CELESTIAL PARK With acres of rolling gardens, chasing waterways and strolling pathways, Celestial Park puts the “park” back in “theme park.” As soon as guests enter the imaginative world, they’ll embark on a journey of discovery, thrills and excitement as they wander through lush living gardens nestled along shimmering waters surrounded by stunning architecture inspired by astronomical and mythological elements. Here, guests can relax while taking in the sights and sounds around them, board a shooting comet for an exhilarating roller coaster adventure, dine on delectable cuisine, shop exclusive merchandise to commemorate their visit and more. 
PORTALS TO OTHER EXTRAORDINARY WORLDS Plus, Celestial Park will be the gateway to explore the four additional worlds of Epic Universe – each bringing to life extraordinary adventures that go beyond guests’ wildest imaginations. Through a set of majestic portals that capture the imagination and creativity of each world, guests will embark on a transformative experience as they journey from Celestial Park to:The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic,where guests will discover a different era of the wizarding world in an all-new land that blends 1920s wizarding Paris from Warner Bros. Pictures’ Fantastic Beasts films with the iconic British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series; SUPER NINTENDO WORLD,where guests will enter the iconic green pipe and discover a new way to play as they step into the worlds of beloved characters like Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Donkey Kong; How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, where guests can soar with dragons in a colorful world filled with Viking adventures based on the wildly popular How to Train Your Dragon film franchise; and Dark Universe, where guests encounter everything from the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to the shadowy landscape where monsters roam in a world of myth and mystery.  CELESTIAL PARK ATTRACTIONS AND EXPERIENCESHere are additional details about some of the other wonders guests can enjoy while exploring Celestial Park:
Starfall Racers, a dual-launch racing coaster that sends guests rocketing through the skies aboard comets in a race to see who’s the fastest of them all. Reaching speeds up to 62 mph and heights up to 133 feet along 5,000 feet of track, Starfall Racers will be Epic Universe’s most thrilling coaster experience with unique maneuvers such as the “Celestial Spin,” in which the two coaster vehicles perform an inverted crisscross while speeding through the air – creating an “out-of-this-world” adrenaline rush.Constellation Carousel – the grand centerpiece of Celestial Park. Here, explorers of all ages will take a fantastical whirl aboard constellations that glide forward, backward – and even make 360-degree rotations – through the milky way in a choreographed dance of music and starlight.Astronomica,an interactive wet-play area that also doubles as a giant compass rose to the many wonders of Epic Universe, featuring crystal blue fountains that spring to life and dance around guests;An array of unique dining experiences ranging from full-service restaurants to quick-service locations that offer something for every palate, including Atlantic –a full-service “surf and turf” restaurant set inside a Victorian aquarium complete with captivating views of Celestial Park……and The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant – where diners take a culinary journey across Asia as they enjoy authentic Chinese, Japanese and Thai fare in this full-service restaurant accented with neon dragons and ethereal lanterns. Additional “must-eat” locations within Celestial Park include The Oak & Star Tavern, where guests can enjoy savory barbecue, Pizza Moon, which will serve up a tasty menu featuring a variety of pizzas, and more.Incredibly detailed retail locations, includingthe Nintendo Super Star Store,where guests can shop an assortment of merchandise themed to SUPER NINTENDO WORLD; Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets, where guests can satisfy their cravings with a unique selection of sweet treats, and more.Plenty of exciting entertainment, including various fountain shows throughout Celestial Park’s seven acres of water where a multitude of fountains sway, dance – and even reach heights up to 135 feet in the air – to music and interactive lighting from day to night.
 And located inside Epic Universe at the end of Celestial Park is Universal Helios Grand Hotel, designed to transport guests to a world where the heavens and earth unite – complete with 500 rooms, one-of-a-kind views and its very own dedicated entrance into the theme park. Plus – in addition to raising the bar for theme park innovation, Epic Universe is Universal Destinations & Experiences’ latest development to integrate energy efficiency and sustainable construction practices. More details about Universal Epic Universe – including the debut of an interactive preview center at Universal CityWalk later this year that will offer a sneak peek at the new theme park – will be revealed in the months ahead. For more information about Universal Orlando Resort, visit www.UniversalOrlando.com. 

New Details About Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringott’s

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Universal Orlando Resort has released some new and exciting details about the new area of Diagon Alley and it’s feature ride, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringott’s!

ORLANDO, Fla. (May 13, 2014) – Today, Universal Orlando Resort revealed details about Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts – the revolutionary attraction found in the heart of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.
The Grand Opening date for the spectacularly themed environment will be announced at a later date.

Imagine being part of the iconic moment from the Harry Potter film series where Harry, Ron and Hermione break into one of the most guarded places in the wizarding world – Gringotts bank – to retrieve a magical object that will help defeat Lord Voldemort. You’ve seen the action on-screen, and now you get to be part of it.

Universal’s creative team worked hand-in-hand with Stuart Craig and his production team from the Harry Potter films to immerse guests in this pivotal scene from the final Harry Potter book and film.

During an action-packed, fully-immersive journey on Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, you will:

 Tour Gringotts bank and pass through the marble hall where you’ll see goblins hard at work
 Race through a labyrinth of underground Gringotts vaults
 Encounter the villainous Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange, as she attempts to send you to your doom
 Come face to face with He Who Must Not Be Named
 Experience even more mind-blowing moments

The multi-dimensional, multi-sensory attraction, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, will revolutionize theme park entertainment. This next generation thrill ride seamlessly integrates a compilation of the most innovative technology ever created, 360-degree themed sets, 4K digital high-definition animation, state-of-the-art 3-D Infitec projection systems and live special effects with beloved characters and breathtaking moments from the Harry Potter books and films.
“Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts will change the way you think about theme park attractions,” said Mark
Woodbury, president of Universal Creative. “We’ve created an entirely new type of ride that propels guests into the story like never before, and guests will remember it long after their visit to Diagon Alley.”

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